Outside my window...the sun is shining, but it's not yet warm (they are making big promises for the weekend).

I am thinking... about trying to do a photo shoot of baby girl this weekend, wonder if I can make one of those tutus?

I am thankful for... not having to go anywhere today (besides school pick up).

From the learning rooms... lots of writing this weekend as we get Valentines ready for my kindergartner's class.

From the kitchen... spaghetti tonight, then we can eat leftovers this weekend.

I am wearing... my robe (still, hey at least I got a shower).

I am creating... lots of projects in my head, not much in reality.

I am going... nowhere and I'm glad (see above).

I am reading... The School of Essential Ingredients (re-reading actually, it's my pick for our book club, so I'm trying to take notes and be all bookworm-y).

I am hoping... to get busy on some sewing and knitting.

I am hearing... the dryer, Caillou, and little baby breaths.

Around the house... we are being overrun with mail and paper work! Aargh!

One of my favorite things... finding blogs that are soothing to read. Hope to post about that soon.

Happy weekend!

Not quite a half year

A half year break from blogging that is! I've just been busy living, and if you're still reading this, please don't think I've not been reading your blogs. Trust me, there are plenty of feedings that are great opportunities for reading blogs via iPhone. This is going to be a mish mosh of thoughts and links as I'm short on time a lot these days!

Glad to know that other moms get overwhelmed http://samstermommy.blogspot.com/2011/01/mommy-pills.html I'm not taking any medication, and I think I'll make it without needing something. However, I completely understand what she's saying. Read the comments, too! One of the first comments mentions how most moms today don't have the support that our grandmothers had. I hadn't really thought of that. Amen.

Christy said this:
I've decided/realized that getting out of the house on my own REALLY cheers me up, so I'm having sitters visit us more often, and it's good for everyone.
Amen, again.
You can read more of her wisdom here.

I recently helped host a baby shower and was talking to a gal I've known since before kindergarten. She mentioned that a gal who went to high school with us who has eight (yes, 8) kids said that the hardest transition was from two kids to three. Thank you, I needed to hear that. With so many saying two to three is so much easier than one to two, I thought maybe I was doing something wrong! Don't get the wrong idea. I love having my three. It's hard work though, and there's not a lot of time to do every day things that really need to be done (cleaning and organizing around the house being the biggie for me).

Despite having zero time to sew, I went on a mini-buying spree a couple of weeks ago buying three new patterns (one for a tunic for me:) I keep telling myself that one of these days very soon, I'm going to have a bit of time to sew. When I do, wouldn't these elephants be fun?
I've noticed I have a thing for elephant prints.

So, I'm still here, just having a hard time finding time to blog, clean, sew, and the like :) I'll try not to be a such a stranger around here.

Welcome to the World...

Baby Girl! M joined us two weeks ago.
We just love her.

Sorry it's taken so long to post, but I've been quite busy (diaper changes, breastfeeding, getting ready for H to start kindergarten, breastfeeding, celebrating W's third birthday, breastfeeding).

Quick version of the birth story: I woke at 3:30 AM with contractions, started timing and decided it was time to head to the hospital. Only 4cm when I got there, but contractions were steady every three minutes. After about an hour of pretty strong contractions, the midwife checked me again. I was 8cm!! Time to get ready to push. She arrived a little after 7:00 AM. It was not easy but at least it was fairly quick, and I'm glad I stuck with my natural birth plan. 7 lbs 10 oz! Happily, not too big :)

One more sweet pic.Yes, I am still super-paranoid about pictures of my children on the internet, but I think babies just sort of look like babies, you know?

Waiting...

... for baby girl to be here to snuggle in this cocoon...and pose in a shrug and don some hats.

Less than a month to go, and yes, mommy is feeling it. Below is the first cocoon (deemed not girly enough by me, have I mentioned that this pregnancy has left me so indecisive it's just ridiculous? I have knitted a couple of items, only to decide I don't like them once they are complete). The cocoon is a free pattern get it here.

Below is my second Itty Bitty Baby Dress from Made By Rae (free here). You can see my first attempt here. I've gone back and forth about adding a little something to the top, like an embroidered flower, a friend suggested baby's first initial (um, we don't know that yet, no agreement between me and C, probably won't know until forced to decide by her arrival and even then, I'm thinking it's going to be a tough decision).

An awesome wet bag for cloth diapers (or anything wet, like bathing suits). I did not make this. It's a gift from a friend who (along with Mel and her husband and some posts from Tasha) has really encouraged me to try cloth diapering. Isn't the fabric great?!?

This past week, C and I went to a free cloth diapering class put on by a local store that carries lots of cloth diapering gear as well as breastfeeding supplies and slings, wraps, etc. We purchased a few prefolds and a Snappi, and the same friend who gave me the wet bag has loaned me a few newborn size covers. We are going to give it a try.

So about the waiting...
we are also waiting for...

-me to use up all the regular detergent, so we can "treat" our washing machine to start laundering cloth diapers

-the paint in baby's room to dry, so we can see if any touching up needs to be done

-the painting to be done, so we can put all the *girly* crib bedding on, set up the bed and put the quilt my aunt made on it, move all the shower gifts in, decorate... Aieee!!

-for me to finish her coming home outfit (requires a bit more sewing and a try at freezer paper stenciling... Aieee!!)

Notice a theme here? To top it off, I'm having some contractions as I type this (I've been having them off and on).

Knowing me, the next post will hopefully be all about baby :)

Are We There Yet? No, But I Got a Great Shower Haul

We were using the boys' wooden blocks to mark each month, but the block set only goes up to 7 for some reason. We can turn 6 upside down for 9, but this time, we went with the magic eight ball.

The baby shower my fantastic friends gave was wonderful! So excited to get little dresses and pink goodies:) Here's some of the haul after I'd sorted through and tried to organize a bit.

Now for the clothes, this is most of them!


See that one down toward the right corner? That's some handmade Mel-specials!


That bib is reversible (the other side is the chicken fabric on the dress!) I know Mel's amazing (both at sewing and friendship). Check out her (better) picture here.

And about those chickens, I love this one. I want to dress up in that bright red with a blue flower in my hair. I mean really, none of those chicks around her can compare :)


Hope to post some completed projects soon! Woohoo!

Father's Day Foibles

We decided to go out to eat last night for Father's Day. C loves Outback, and since I've recently learned I'm borderline anemic, steak sounded good to me too. Now we knew there would be a wait, so we called to put our name on the list. We still had about 25 minutes to wait when we got there, so the boys stayed in the car with the a/c with Daddy while I got the little buzzer and braved the heat. Don't worry, I was in the shade and had a book to read. Although it is super
hot with support hose, those few minutes sitting alone, reading were really a gift to me.

We are seated, and both H and his daddy need to use the restroom. While they are gone, our drink orders arrive. I have concocted W's Sprite and water mix and am starting on H's, when I turn my own water over and it spills all over my pants. It was a full glass. I was sitting in puddled water. Since, I don't bring a spare change of clothes for myself just the boys, I dried off as best I could and decide to grin and bear it.

C and H come back from the restroom, and my husband announces that he thinks he passed two kidney stones while in the (public) bathroom, and he has them. I think my eyes probably rolled back in my head as he explained that he, "used some MacGyver type skills" to "fish" them out of the (public) toilet while my 5 year old looked on. Apparently, the whole time he is fishing them out, he's telling H he should never do this and that he will explain why Daddy IS doing it when we get home. When he got to the part of the over-the-dinner-table story about how, "they're in my pocket," I had to ask him to stop the conversation before I hosed him and H down with Purell from across the table.

So while I'm riding home, sitting on a plastic bag (because my clothing- including support hose and undergarments- are still soaked), I'm thinking: Maybe we should have just ordered online and picked up?

Hope all the dads in your lives had a great day!

Vintage Dress

Can I call it a vintage dress if it's at least as old as me? I think I'm probably vintage by now.

Sometimes, being a pack rat pays off. I remember putting this dress on a doll named Mrs. Beasley (apparently from a TV show called A Family Affair, I don't remember the show, do remember the doll). Anyhow, it needs a little repair, but I love it! The picture is from my iPhone, so not the best quality. The main fabric is navy blue with tiny white polka dots. Edited: I meant to explain that I think it was a cousin's or aunt's dress, that we later dressed the doll with. I think it's probably sized for a three year old.

I am still in a flutter, adding to my crafts for baby girl list way too often! Hopefully, I'll have some more finished projects to post about soon. Just wanted to prove I'm still here!